Saturday, 5 February 2011

Discovery Colour Bottles

I've been going through old photos and found these, made some time ago but still in use! Originally made for a very little person as a rattle/ sensory toy helped to create by a little bit (but not much) bigger person with the aim of developing their fine motor skills and colour sorting concepts. I simply added a little hot glue to the inside of the lid before screwing on very tightly, but plastic glue also works. Making the bottles was especially enjoyable and probably looking back the most fun sorting activity to date, maybe should do that again (we can cut bottles afterwards to get tiny bits out I guess).

Little person much enjoyed shaking, rolling and placing in and out of box, bigger person enjoyed tidying into correct colour spaces in box. They have since had use as; skittles, good for instructions too knock red then blue down, and colour language e.g. what colours have you knocked down?; driving round in trailers (coloured milk delivery); and as fizzy drinks in roll play...

The bottles make wonderful sensory toys for children with a range of special educational needs, and the best thing is you can personalise to individual needs e.g use bottles with handles to assist grasp, make sound bottles for those with visual impairments, themed bottles for those with particular interests.